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Green Month Sparks Conversations for Young and Old

Science World inspires students to 'inquire beyond what we know.' Win tix!

David P Ball 21 Apr 2014TheTyee.ca

David P. Ball is a staff reporter with The Tyee. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.

One high school in northern B.C. is proving that going green might actually be rocket science, after all.

Smithers Secondary School took home two prizes at Science World's B.C. Green Games on April 10, for their student and teacher-built "rocket retort" -- a powerful stove that converts sawdust into charcoal to improve the school's compost and the soil for their geodesic dome greenhouse.

The biodome produces fruit and vegetables year-round for the school's cafeteria, and is accompanied by a high-heat composter design known as a biomeiler, which harnesses the heat generated as organic waste decomposes.

"They created something truly incredible," said Green Games program developer Elizabeth Hand. "We're really excited by the educational potential of this type of project. Encouraging people to innovate is important -- to imagine new ways of doing things. That's what we hope science does in general; it encourages us to ask questions and think beyond what we're doing already, to inquire beyond what we know."

The Green Games is one of several Science World projects aimed at sparking new ideas among B.C. students -- with $24,000 in prizes at stake. The winners will be acknowledged on Earth Day, April 22, as part of Green Month, which starts that day and continues until May 21.

Helping schools share green intel

The Green Games helps schools showcase their sustainability projects. This year, 90 projects were submitted from almost every region of the province, with roughly two-thirds revolving around food, such as composting and gardening.

"Kids are developing everything from composting programs to advanced recycling systems in their schools, to make them zero-waste," Hand said. "A lot of kids are building gardens and feeding their schools or donating to local food banks, creating closed loops in the local food system."

For Science World staffer Brian Anderson, the Green Games is one way that Science World acts as an incubator for sustainable ideas and an avenue to share those ideas between B.C. schools.

"The idea is that if one school is very passionate about waste, and another is passionate about finding a cool way to reduce energy costs or to make themselves more water-sustainable, they can find out what the other programs were, how they did it, and how they could do it too," he said.

Anderson curates Science World's outdoor sustainability park, which has displays on energy, water use, reducing waste, gardens and chickens.

"There's a big hands-on element," said Anderson. "In the food area, occasionally when our groundskeepers are out there, they'll get the kids to help out with planting. There's something visceral about holding a worm in your hand rather than just reading about it."

Can't afford to go green? Think again

Although many people think going green is only about changing lightbulbs or composting at home, Green Month is a way of showcasing how communities can rally around projects that help them become more sustainable.

It's not only schools that are doing the rallying, even if many like Smithers Secondary are leading the way.

"Often, much about Earth Day is about what people can do personally, and it's such a great way of engaging the community," said Maureen Cureton, Vancity credit union's green business manager. "But businesses make a big impact on the environment too, and how people manage their business makes a huge impact."

Vancity is one of the partners in Green Month, and is offering half-price entry to Science World to its credit union members on May 10. The hope is to engage sustainability conversations with everyone from families with kids to entrepreneurs.

It will also be a chance to highlight Vancity's "Leverage Lab," a network of businesses who are already making the green leap. Coinciding with Green Month, the credit union is inviting up to 60 B.C. businesses to participate, with the message that it doesn't take a massive capital investment to reduce your footprint as a business.

"We often hear, 'I can't afford to be green,'" Cureton said. "But a lot of times it's about who you do business with -- who you buy from, how you deliver your products, who you're selling to or who takes care of your waste. There are businesses that have already figured it out... let's have some dialogue with businesses about our role, and how to be a successful business by working with others."

For Anderson, Green Month is about spreading change across the generations. Science World's outdoor exhibits inspire young people to ask questions, and encourage their families to do the same.

"Much the same way you'll have kids say, 'Dad, I want a new toy or to see a new movie,' there's a certain power to children's badgering, for want of a better word," he explained. "Many kids are actually quite passionate about these issues."  [Tyee]

Read more: Environment

This article is part of a Tyee Presents initiative. Tyee Presents is the special sponsored content section within The Tyee where we highlight contests, events and other initiatives that are either put on by us or by our select partners. The Tyee does not and cannot vouch for or endorse products advertised on The Tyee. We choose our partners carefully and consciously, to fit with The Tyee’s reputation as B.C.’s Home for News, Culture and Solutions. Learn more about Tyee Presents here.

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